Coude optics systems are common. These devices are used primarily in telescopic systems where the detector is in a fixed location relative to a movable telescope or as laser beam directors. Prior art Coude optics systems are described in an Article by W. L. Casey and D. D. Phinney published in Society of Photo Optical Instrumentation Engineering, Vol. 887 Acquisition, Tracking and Pointing. That article describes 32 Coude optics systems. In none of these systems does the beam pass through one single point of rotation. A Coude optics system was disclosed by the applicant and his co-inventors but not claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,348 issued Nov. 28, 1989. The Coude optics system is claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,355.
Articulated arms are commonly used in laser medicine in order to direct laser beams on the patient. These devices are especially important for certain laser beams such as CO.sub.2 beams which cannot be well transmitted through fiber optics devices.